A New Worldly Order: John Paul II and the Structure of Human Freedom: John Paul II and Human Freedom - Hardcover

Weigel, George

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0896331709 ISBN 13: 9780896331709

Publisher: Ethics & Public Policy Center Inc.,U.S., 1992

Synopsis

The encyclical issued in May 1991 by Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, drew a great deal of attention not only within the Catholic Church but outside it as well. One striking feature was the Pope's endorsement of capitalism, properly understood, as the economic system most compatible with human freedom and most efficient in meeting human needs. Notable as well were his comments on the fall of Communist regimes in 1989 and the role of the workers' movement in that struggle. A condensation of the encyclical, accompanied by the Pope's own reflections on it, starts off this stimulating collection. Then 23 personsoCatholics and non-Catholics, Americans and Europeans, political theorists, theologians, social scientists, lawyers, and journalistsocomment on the encyclical from their varied perspectives. Among the distinguished contributors are Peter L. Berger, Rocco Buttiglione, Milton Friedman, Mary Ann Glendon, J. Bryan Hehir, Richard John Neuhaus, Michael Novak, Max L. Stackhouse, and Jozef Tischner.

About this title

Review:

Whether these contributions criticize or agree with the Church's social teaching, all attest to the import of this document and the world leadership of its author....--Church and Cultures

One would not want to discuss modern Catholic social policy without first reading these essays.--The Christian Century

Useful for undergraduate and larger public libraries.--Library Journal

Synopsis:

"A New Worldly Order" explores the 1991 social encyclical of Pope John Paul II, "Centesimus Annus" which is expected to shape the course of Christian reflection on human freedom for many years to come. The cultural, political, and economic aspects of the human quest for a freedom that truly liberates are all addressed by the Pope in this document, which also contains his analysis of the dynamics of the Revolution of 1989 in central and eastern Europe. In addition to a condensed version of the encyclical, and analyses of the pope's letter from 23 American and European commentators representing a wide range of religious and political convictions. "A New Worldly Order" includes a little-known commentary on "Centesimus Annus" by the Pope himself, drawn from John Paul II's remarks at a general audience on the day before the letter was released to the public. The commentaries and the condensed version of the encyclical should make this book helpful to the general reader interested in entering one of the great debates of the last decade of the 20th century.

About this edition

• Publisher: Ethics & Public Policy Center Inc.,U.S.
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0896331709
• ISBN 13: 9780896331709
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 195